Richard Mark Newby,Baron Newby OBE PC (born 14 February 1953) is a British politician who has been the leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords [1] since September 2016. [2] He served as Government Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords,as Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard between 2012 and 2015,as and Liberal Democrat Chief Whip in the House of Lords from 2012 to 2016.
Newby was born in February 1953, [3] the son of Frank and Kathleen Newby. He was educated at the Rothwell Grammar School in the village of Lofthouse in West Yorkshire,followed by St Catherine's College at the University of Oxford,where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy,politics and economics in 1974 and was later awarded a Master of Arts degree.
On leaving university,Newby joined HM Customs and Excise where he became principal in charge of budget coordination in 1980. He was then director of corporate affairs at Rosehaugh plc,at one time a major property developer. He subsequently became a consultant on corporate social responsibility.
Newby worked extensively on programmes which used the power of sport to help motivate and educate children and young people. He was chair of sport at The Prince's Trust (1997–2012),chair of International Development Through Sport (a UK Sport charity) and chair of Sport for Life International,of which he remains patron.
Newby was Secretary of the Social Democratic Party Parliamentary Committee in 1981,David Owen described him as 'an able young civil servant who resigned to come and work for us', [4] and National Secretary of the SDP from 1983 to 1988. He had parliamentary ambitions,seeking the candidacy for Twickenham,challenging Vince Cable,in 1997. [5] From 1999 to 2006,Newby was Chief of Staff to Charles Kennedy. He was instrumental in the process of managing the succession of leadership from Kennedy to Menzies Campbell. [6] [7]
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1990 New Year Honours [8] and was created a life peer with the title Baron Newby,of Rothwell in the County of West Yorkshire on 25 September 1997. [9]
At the beginning of May 2012,Lord Newby was appointed the Liberal Democrat Chief Whip in the House of Lords,and at the same time was appointed the Deputy Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords and Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard.
In September 2012,he was appointed Treasury spokesman in the House of Lords.
In September 2016 he was elected Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords,replacing Lord Wallace of Tankerness.
Lord Newby has been married since 1978 to Ailsa Ballantyne (née Thomson),a priest and Canon Residentiary of Ripon Cathedral;they have two sons. According to the House of Lords register of members' interests,he jointly owns,with his wife,two flats in Lambeth,London,which are rented out.
John Archibald Sinclair,3rd Viscount Thurso,,known also as John Thurso,is a Scottish businessman,Liberal Democrat politician and hereditary peer who is notable for having served in the House of Lords both before and after a period in the House of Commons.
Walter Menzies Campbell,Baron Campbell of Pittenweem,,often known as Ming Campbell,is a Scottish politician,advocate and former athlete. A member of the Liberal Democrats,he was Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Fife from 1987 to 2015 and served as Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2006 to 2007.
Alan James Beith,Baron Beith,is a British Liberal Democrat politician who represented Berwick-upon-Tweed as its Member of Parliament (MP) from 1973 to 2015.
Thomas Anthony Brake is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Carshalton and Wallington in London from 1997 to 2019.
Sir Nicholas Barton Harvey is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was the member of parliament (MP) for North Devon from 1992 to 2015 and the Minister of State for the Armed Forces from 2010 to 2012.
George Philip Willis,Baron Willis of Knaresborough is a politician in the United Kingdom. He is a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords,and was Member of Parliament (MP) for Harrogate and Knaresborough from 1997 until retiring at the 2010 general election. Up to that date he was the chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee.
Matthew Owen John Taylor,Baron Taylor of Goss Moor is a British politician who has been a life peer in the House of Lords since 2010. A member of the Liberal Democrats,he previously served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Truro and St Austell in Cornwall from 1987 until he stood down at the 2010 general election. He was granted a life peerage and so became a member of the House of Lords on 16 July 2010.
Christopher John Rennard,Baron Rennard,is a British life peer in the House of Lords,appointed to the Liberal Democrats' benches in 1999. He was Director of Campaigns &Elections for the Liberal Democrats from 1989 to 2003,and Chief Executive of the party from 2003 to 2009.
Michael John Storey,Baron Storey,is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He is currently the party's spokesperson on education,families and young people in the House of Lords.
In the 2006 Liberal Democrats leadership election,Sir Menzies Campbell was elected to succeed Charles Kennedy as Leader of the Liberal Democrats,the third-largest political party in the United Kingdom.
Navnit Dholakia,Baron Dholakia,,is a British Liberal Democrat politician and a deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords.
The 2007 Liberal Democrats leadership election was held following the resignation of Sir Menzies Campbell as leader on 15 October 2007,after 19 months as leader of the Liberal Democrats,the third-largest political party in the United Kingdom. Vince Cable,the deputy leader of the parliamentary party,was acting leader until the conclusion of the leadership election. The result was announced on 18 December 2007 with Nick Clegg winning by a narrow margin of 1.2%.
The 1997 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours were officially announced in two supplements to The London Gazette of 1 August 1997 and marked the May 1997 resignation of the Prime Minister,John Major.
David Trevor Shutt,Baron Shutt of Greetland,was a British Liberal Democrat politician who served as Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard and Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords between May 2010 and May 2012.
The list that follows is the Liberal Democrats Frontbench Team/Shadow Cabinet led by Menzies Campbell from 2006 to 2007.
The list that follows is the Liberal Democrats Frontbench Team/Shadow Cabinet led by Charles Kennedy,who was Party leader from 1999 to 2006. The Party began to refer to its Frontbench Team as a Shadow Cabinet during Kennedy's tenure as leader.
The list that follows is the Liberal Democrats Frontbench Team/Shadow Cabinet led by Vince Cable,who was acting leader between 15 October and 18 December 2007,following the resignation of Menzies Campbell and prior to the election of Nick Clegg.
The list that follows is the Liberal Democrats frontbench team led by Paddy Ashdown,who was party leader from 1988 to 1999. Initially known as a frontbench team,the Lib Dems began to refer to their Frontbench Team as a "Shadow Cabinet" during the leadership of Ashdown's successor,Charles Kennedy,although the use of the term is controversial.
Benjamin Russell Mackintosh Stoneham,Baron Stoneham of Droxford is a British peer,journalist,and Liberal Democrat politician. He is currently the Liberal Democrat Chief Whip in the House of Lords,having been elected to that position in October 2016.
Alison Mary Suttie,Baroness Suttie is a British Liberal Democrat politician. She was appointed a life peer in the House of Lords in September 2013. A party whip,she is a member of the Liberal Democrat foreign affairs team. She is also a trustee on the board of IPPR.
BIRTHDAYS [...] Lib Dem Lords leader Dick Newby turns 70
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